Tool for the assessment of equality

Non-discrimination test

Is there discrimination at your workplace? How well do your operations take account of diversity in the work community and among clientele? Do you have the skills and knowledge required to make your services more equal?

By responding to the following test, you can assess the level of equality within your organisation. From the options, choose the one that best describes the situation at your workplace.

You can use this survey in equality planning by, for example, comparing each other’s perceptions of the situation in your work community.

1

A client who speaks poor Finnish wants further information about your services. What possibilities does he or she have to receive advice?

All the necessary information is available on the Finnish website. If the client asks for the address of the website, it will be provided.

Brochures and Internet bulletins are available in a few different languages (Finnish, Swedish, English). Also, an effort is made to provide further information by telephone.

Information on services is available in several languages. The client may also call an employee who specialises in immigration affairs.

Plenty of material is available for the client in plain Finnish and in his or her native language. Employees have been trained to serve clients who speak poor Finnish. If necessary, a professional interpreter is booked to provide advice.

2

What is your organisation's attitude to the recruitment of employees with a minority background (e.g. ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities)?

Employees with a minority background are usually not invited to interviews, and we have none as employees or trainees.

Hiring employees or trainees with a minority background has been discussed, but no suitable candidates have emerged so far.

Employees from certain minority groups have been hired to, for instance, serve clients who belong to the same minority.

Our organisation has employees with a minority background in various positions and at different levels.

3

A decision is made at your workplace to hire a trainee for six months. One of the applicants is a student with a Romani background.

The applicant is not invited for an interview because Roma people are known to be unreliable employees

The decision is made to invite the applicant to an interview, because other authorities have recommended hiring employees with a minority background.

The applicant will be hired as an employee in customer service if the individual is qualified and if some clients are Roma.

The organisation has lots of experience of employees with a minority background, and this is why the applicant is treated equally compared with other applicants. Familiarity with Romani culture is viewed as an asset for the applicant.

4

An individual at your workplace suggests participating in an event with the aim of experiencing, first hand, what it feels like to conduct transactions as a blind person.

We have so few blind people as clients that the event is regarded as a waste of resources.

The suggestion is regarded as an interesting and unconventional alternative to ordinary staff training, so all those willing may take part during working hours.

The suggestion is deemed useful for those working in customer service, and suitable for the organisation's training strategy. Customer service employees are encouraged to participate.

The decision is made to take part in the event on a broad scale, because it supports the organisation's general staff training, which regularly deals with different minority groups. Employees have participated in similar training before.

5

How have clients' different limitations been taken into account when designing communication material (brochures, websites, etc.)?

Communication has been designed to be suitable for the average client, and no consideration has been given to accessibility of communication.

Some brochures have been designed to be suitable for people with poor eyesight, for example, but accessibility of communication is not comprehensively ensured.

Different people are taken into consideration when communication is designed; experts are consulted when designing Internet services.

The organisation has extensive expertise for ensuring accessibility in communication. In addition, the success of communication is monitored by requesting feedback directly from target groups.

6

How easy is it to move around your workplace in a wheelchair?

A client in a wheelchair can only conduct transactions in certain parts of the building, and with an assistant. There is no separate toilet for handicapped persons.

There is a ramp and a separate toilet for people in wheelchairs. In practice, movement involves problems (the toilet for handicapped persons is used as a storage space, the ramp is too steep, separate entrances are kept locked, etc.).

People in wheelchairs have unobstructed access to using the services in the building. The functioning of the structures has been tested.

People in wheelchairs have unobstructed access to using the services and working in the building. Employees have been trained to give guidance and assistance to clients in wheelchairs.

7

A new employee is hired for the work community. Another employee reports seeing this person go to a gay bar during the previous weekend.

Attitudes towards the colleague will change, and the person will probably be taunted about the matter.

At most, jokes will be made about the issue without the employee hearing them.

The matter mainly arouses positive interest, because sexual and gender minorities have been discussed in the context of working with clients.

The matter is treated in a natural manner, because gender identity or sexual orientation do not need to be concealed in the workplace.

8

What is your work community's attitude towards clients with an immigrant background?

Immigrants are regarded as difficult clients who tend to complain about the service. However, few employees see themselves as racist although racist jokes may be told at the coffee table.

As a rule, the attitude towards immigrants is neutral. Clients who appear to be immigrants are referred to special services with employees trained in handling issues that concern immigrants.

Clients with an immigrant background are provided with service on an equal basis to other clients. Employees identify prejudices and discrimination in their work with clients. Any racist behaviour is immediately dealt with.

Most employees know people from different ethnic groups. People in the organisation understand that immigrants are not a homogeneous group, but that they have different backgrounds and situations. Any racist attitudes are immediately dealt with.

Equality, discrimination and the diversity of staff or clientele are not handled at all.

Certain minority groups (such as immigrants) are mentioned in a separate chapter in the organisation's general plans, but they are barely referred to in application instructions and other practical guidelines.

Different minority groups are handled fairly comprehensively in the organisation's plans and other documents, but most employees pay hardly any attention to such texts.

People in the organisation are familiar with the management of diversity and aim to benefit from a diversified staff and clientele. All employees are aware that equality is part of the organisation's strategy.

10

Coming face to face with clients with a minority background may raise questions. What guidelines on practical problems are provided to the authority responsible for customer service?

In customer service, the only way to obtain instructions on questions involving minorities is to ask other employees.

Some minorities are mentioned in the organisation's general operating guidelines. However, there are no concrete instructions so, in practice, employees must resort to support from colleagues.

Employees are provided with useful instructions on customer service for several minority groups. These instructions are based on practical experience.

Individual treatment of all clients is stressed to employees; a minority background is not emphasised unless the client brings up the subject. The emphasis here is on equal treatment of all clients and on the benefits of diversity.

11

By what methods does your organisation monitor the attainment of equality?

Because questions on equality are marginal from the organisation's perspective, equality among clients or the work community is not monitored systematically. However, people may provide feedback.

The attainment of equality within our organisation has been monitored randomly with regard to some causes of discrimination, and the results have been applied to developing the organisation.

The organisation collects information in a systematic and regular manner. For the most part, information is collected through surveys and measures are taken as a result. Various grounds for discrimination are taken into account in surveys of this kind.

Monitoring is regarded as an important part of service development and HR administration. There are several forms of monitoring, and the expertise of organisations that represent minorities is used in designing these.

12

A client wants to give critical feedback on the opportunities of disabled persons to use the agency's services. What is the attitude towards such feedback?

Apologies are made to the client for deficiencies in the service. Deficiencies may be justified on the basis of limited resources.

The client's feedback is received or the client is advised on where to submit feedback. Measures may be taken on the basis of feedback at a later date, if more complaints are made of a similar nature.

The client's feedback is processed and the client is informed of what will be done about the matter. Representatives from disabled organisations may be consulted on how to rectify the matter.

The feedback is processed in a competent manner, because the organisation has expertise on accessibility issues. In all likelihood, the organisation has already noted the problem and will address it in the near future.

13

A local association of Seta submits an initiative for altering the gender-based toilet facilities in your office into unisex facilities suitable for gender minorities. How does your organisation react to the situation?

The situation is not dealt with in any particular manner.

The initiative is deemed embarrassing, and the aim is to dismiss it quickly by referring to a lack of resources.

The initiative is discussed in the appropriate manner, and all parties concerned are consulted on the matter. The association submitting the initiative is given the response that equality is an important matter to the organisation.

The situation is treated seriously, because equality is an important value for the organisation. An estimate is drawn up of the measures and costs relating to the alteration of the facilities. Once the facilities are ready, the renovation is reported to clients and stakeholders.

14

How does your organisation handle discrimination between employees?

In order to avoid conflicts, the organisation tries to avoid hiring job applicants who belong to problematic minorities. Employees do not complain openly about discrimination for fear of losing their job or position.

The organisation uses methods required by law to handle cases of discrimination. Internal negotiations are sometimes held at the workplace when problematic situations occur.

Training has been provided in order to identify and handle cases of discrimination and bullying in order to reduce employee turnover or sick leave. Internal conflicts are viewed as the organisation's problem

The subject is discussed comprehensively in staff training. All employees know how to act in a situation of conflict. Discrimination can be prevented in general.

15

An elderly employee feels shut out of the youthful work community. How can the employee affect this situation?

The employee feels powerless and lacks the strength or courage to take action.

The employee reports the matter to the supervisor, and it is discussed superficially at the unit's meetings.

Other people besides the employee have noted the problem. The matter is discussed openly, and concrete measures are taken to rectify the problem.

The problem is identified in good time. Negative attitudes towards the elderly have been discussed during staff training, and employees know how to change their behaviour. Conflict is averted.

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